Google+ Hangout Corolla Collaborator

Google+ Hangout Corolla Collaborator

Toyota Motor Sales, USA

& Saatchi & Saatchi
LA, Iron Claw,
Joystick Interactive

People often turn to a friend for that all-important second opinion when
they're about to make a big purchase. But how do you replicate that
experience when you're shopping online for a car? Given that Toyota's
young, tech-savvy audience is made up of many first-time car buyers, we
aimed to make the buying process more social. Thanks to a Google
partnership, we created the Corolla Collaborator, which let up to five
friends customize the car together via Google+ Hangout. They could even
invite a Toyota dealer to the Hangout to answer questions, give pricing
information or set up test drives.

Put Google research and insight behind your thinking

The Story

People often turn to a friend for that all-important second opinion when they're
about to make a big purchase. But how do you replicate that experience when you're
shopping online for a car? Given that Toyota's young, tech-savvy audience is made
up of many first-time car buyers, we aimed to make the buying process more social.
Thanks to a Google partnership, we created the Corolla Collaborator, which let up
to five friends customize the car together via Google+ Hangout. They could even
invite a Toyota dealer to the Hangout to answer questions, give pricing information
or set up test drives.

We used WebGL to create a 360-degree 3D viewer, and users could check out the
interior of the car simply by turning their heads left and right. Using Google
Street View, they could enter start and end coordinates to take a virtual test
drive.

The Technology

Geo APIs

Social

Video

Web/Apps

The Results

The Collaborator has been covered by numerous press outlets, including the New York
Times and Fast Company. The Collaborator was given a prominent role at Google’s
2013 I/O Conference, and Google even used it to launch a new social advertising
platform. The Collaborator has helped define Toyota as an automaker on the leading
edge of technology in the eyes of the important millennial segment. And based on
its success, Toyota plans to extend the Collaborator to its entire line of vehicles
in coming months.